It takes less than a week to start sounding like the locals. When I went to England, before I left I was already thinking aloud in my head with an English accent. I've already gone Upper Midwest internally even if I still sound like a fahkin' masshole.

NPR had a hollywood dialogue coach on some time ago talking about how your "classic" British accent (if there is such a thing) is almost identical to the old antebellum Southern accent. the only difference was that the Southern accent was more tonal. That might be a reason why so many Southern characters in the movies and teevee are played by British actors. Think Vivian Leigh in Gone With the Wind, Andrew Lincoln in Walking Dead, Stephen Moyer in True Blood, and every single character with a Southern accent in Blackhawk Down.

Additionally, your more Appalachian accents tend to be more Scottish...kinda clipped and nasally (Liam Neeson in Next of Kin).

Then when you get more towards Louisiana, it's a mix of all kinds of accents. Have you ever noticed how some people from around New Orleans sound almost like they have New Jersey accents? Was there a lot of French influence up in Jersey?.

^My dad was born and raised in New Orleans, and his family have been there since the mid 18th century. The accents of my extended family are...amazing. I first met my grandfather at a family reunion when I was 5. We were having BBQ and I recall being baffled and a bit giggly when he asked me for "mine-ass." He wanted mayonaise.

. . . Have you ever noticed how some people from around New Orleans sound almost like they have New Jersey accents? Was there a lot of French influence up in Jersey?

Click to expand...

Don't you mean "Noo Joisey"?

I've always been curious about that similarity, especially the hybridization of the "oi" and "er" sounds in both the NY/NJ and Mississippi Delta accents. How did the same pronunciation arise in two regions a thousand miles apart, with very different cultural influences?

And, of course, New Orleans is often pronounced "Nawlens" both down in Louisiana as well as elsewhere in the American South. As well as the different ways to pronounce the Appalachian Mountains that's been touched on in other language, dialect and accent threads over time.

. . . Have you ever noticed how some people from around New Orleans sound almost like they have New Jersey accents? Was there a lot of French influence up in Jersey?

Click to expand...

Don't you mean "Noo Joisey"?

I've always been curious about that similarity, especially the hybridization of the "oi" and "er" sounds in both the NY/NJ and Mississippi Delta accents. How did the same pronunciation arise in two regions a thousand miles apart, with very different cultural influences?

Big wheel keep on toinin',
Proud Mary keep on boinin' . . .

Click to expand...

But were they very different cultural influences? I'm betting there's a connection somewhere. That's why I was wondering if there was a heavy French influence in early New Jersey.

. . . Have you ever noticed how some people from around New Orleans sound almost like they have New Jersey accents? Was there a lot of French influence up in Jersey?

Click to expand...

Don't you mean "Noo Joisey"?

I've always been curious about that similarity, especially the hybridization of the "oi" and "er" sounds in both the NY/NJ and Mississippi Delta accents. How did the same pronunciation arise in two regions a thousand miles apart, with very different cultural influences?

Big wheel keep on toinin',
Proud Mary keep on boinin' . . .

Click to expand...

But were they very different cultural influences? I'm betting there's a connection somewhere. That's why I was wondering if there was a heavy French influence in early New Jersey.

Click to expand...

Is Tennessee in the Delta? Because Tina Turner was born and raised in Nutbush, Tennessee. John Fogerty is from California.

My mother has lived in California for 40 years and stills sounds like she's from Tennessee. I revert to a southern accent if I spend too much time there.

I've always been curious about that similarity, especially the hybridization of the "oi" and "er" sounds in both the NY/NJ and Mississippi Delta accents. How did the same pronunciation arise in two regions a thousand miles apart, with very different cultural influences?

Big wheel keep on toinin',
Proud Mary keep on boinin' . . .

Click to expand...

But were they very different cultural influences? I'm betting there's a connection somewhere. That's why I was wondering if there was a heavy French influence in early New Jersey.

Click to expand...

Is Tennessee in the Delta? Because Tina Turner was born and raised in Nutbush, Tennessee. John Fogerty is from California.

Click to expand...

West Tennessee is pretty close. It's all pretty much swampland around Memphis (Nutbush is about an hour away).

Somewhat related, but the other day I was watching some show on one of the History Channels about Moonshiners...probably up around Western North Carolina, and when ever some of them were talking, they were showing subtitles. I remember thinking, "What the hell are they doing that for? I can understand him plain as day!"

Then I thought to myself, "Maybe I better keep that my little secret." So here I am blabbing it to you all.

. . . Have you ever noticed how some people from around New Orleans sound almost like they have New Jersey accents? Was there a lot of French influence up in Jersey?

Click to expand...

Don't you mean "Noo Joisey"?

I've always been curious about that similarity, especially the hybridization of the "oi" and "er" sounds in both the NY/NJ and Mississippi Delta accents. How did the same pronunciation arise in two regions a thousand miles apart, with very different cultural influences?

Big wheel keep on toinin',
Proud Mary keep on boinin' . . .

Click to expand...

But were they very different cultural influences? I'm betting there's a connection somewhere. That's why I was wondering if there was a heavy French influence in early New Jersey.

Click to expand...

In early New Jersey, you're much more likely to find Dutch settlers (or, in smaller numbers, Swedish.) The English arrived later, and I can't really think of any significant French influence there at any time. The French would have been to the north (Canada) and to the west (Great Lakes, Mississippi River & tributaries.)

Is Tennessee in the Delta? Because Tina Turner was born and raised in Nutbush, Tennessee. John Fogerty is from California.

Click to expand...

As the lead singer/songwriter of Creedence Clearwater Revival, John Fogerty sang in a mock-Southern accent. That, combined with his blues-shouting style, made many of his lyrics nearly unintelligible -- and a rich source of mondegreens (e.g. "there's a bathroom on the right").

When Tina Turner sang "Proud Mary," she pronounced "turnin'" and "burnin'" the way most Americans do.

Is Tennessee in the Delta? Because Tina Turner was born and raised in Nutbush, Tennessee. John Fogerty is from California.

Click to expand...

As the lead singer/songwriter of Creedence Clearwater Revival, John Fogerty sang in a mock-Southern accent. That, combined with his blues-shouting style, made many of his lyrics nearly unintelligible -- and a rich source of mondegreens (e.g. "there's a bathroom on the right").

When Tina Turner sang "Proud Mary," she pronounced "turnin'" and "burnin'" the way most Americans do.

Click to expand...

I guess having grown up hearing Southern accents my ears don't hear it the same way.